As South Africa gears up to mark 25 years of freedom in
2019, the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation (DPME) has kick
started the review process of the country’s democracy.

As part of this 25 year review process, the DPME held a
consultative workshop with various stakeholders at the Gallagher Convention
Centre in Midrand on Tuesday.

The workshop brought together representatives from the
business community, labour organisations, civil society, political formations,
public representatives, senior government officials, and ordinary individuals.

Among the key objectives of the 25 year review is to assess
whether government has delivered on the promise of a better life for all.

“It (workshop) is intended to help us engage and consult
non-governmental organisations, civil society, labour movements and others
particularly in professional areas, in order to ensure that not only is the 25
year review principally about government asking the questions but about the
entire South African society asking itself what it has achieved, the challenges
and what the dream for South Africa is for the next 25 years,” said the DPME’s
Director General Mpumi Mpofu.

Inputs received from the review and workshop will be used by
the DPME to produce the 25 Year Review Report whose recommendations will inform
future planning and policy making decisions.

The consultations will culminate in a report that aims to
determine a roadmap to accelerate service delivery during the 2019-2030 period.

Calling for critical and forward thinking, Mpofu urged
stakeholders to engage on their experiences over the past 25 years, reflect on
implemented interventions, outline achievements, challenges and lessons
learned, and share solutions that could shape future plans.

“Through the workshops and ultimately the review, we want to
provide solutions to current and future problems,” said Mpofu.

In a bid to find solutions, the Director General made
mention of the challenges that will be brought by the imminent fourth
industrial revolution and urged stakeholders to take into account these
emerging challenges.

The workshop then entered into commissions on issues of
poverty, inequality, unemployment, social cohesion, gender, youth and the
emerging industrial revolution within the context of their focus areas.

The focus areas included basic education, health, crime and
anti-corruption, economy, skills and research, human settlements, land reform
and public sector governance among others.

Once completed, the 25 Year Review report will be submitted
to Cabinet in January 2019.